<h2>Name</h2> 
<p>
The Surah takes its name from v. 35 in which mention has been made
of Prophet <em>Ibrahim</em> (Abraham). But it does not mean that it contains
the life story of Prophet Abraham. The name is merely a symbol lid the
names of many other surahs, i. e., the Surah in which Abraham's mention
has been made.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
It appears from the tone of the Surah that it belongs to that group of
the Surahs which were revealed during the last stage of the Makkan
period. For instance, v. 13 ("The disbelievers warned their Messengers,
'you shall have to return to our community or we will assuredly expel
you from our land'") clearly indicates that the persecution of the
Muslims was at its worst at the time of the revelation of this Surah,
and the people of Makkah were bent on expelling the Believers from
there like the disbelievers of the former Prophets. That is why in v.
14 they have been warned, "We will destroy these evil doers," and the
Believers have been comforted as were the believers before them, "and
after them settle you in the land" Likewise the stern warning
contained in the concluding portion (vv. 43-52 also confirms that the
Surah relates to the last stage of the Makkan Period.
</p>
<h2>Central Theme and Purpose</h2>
<p>
This Surah is an admonition and a warning to the disbelievers who were
rejecting the Message of the Holy Prophet and devising cunning schemes
to defeat his Mission. But warning, reproof, censure and reproach
dominate admonition. This is because a good deal of admonition had
already been made in the preceding Surahs, but in spite of this their
obduracy, enmity, antagonism, mischief, persecution etc. had rather
increased.
</p>

